Saturday, November 15, 2014

Blogging Around the World

A few days ago, one of my bee buddies from the Stash Fabulous Bee wrote and asked me if I'd like to take part in the Around the World Blog Hop, an ongoing chain of blog posts that has certainly gone around the world several times and then some since they started popping up a good while ago. They are fun to read, and it's a good way to meet people and reflect.

I am finishing up a swap project and thinking about what to make for
Ali Burdon's Winter Sparkle ATC Swap. And I am moving house, so another
ongoing project is cutting out pieces for the stuff I sew "on the other
side." We'll be moving
the sewing room last, so I am really trying to get everything organized
before I get discombobulated.

How does my work differ from others?

I think my work has a feeling of place, and specifically of being in Sweden, with its very special light. I am often affected by the
weather and the light as far as what palette I use, and I like to mix
fabric genres together, like contemporary prints with one or two civil
war prints. I am interested in the trends, but I like to look back in
time too. While I think I have a definite style, I am not very
concerned with being labelled modern or traditional. I like to think
that my fabric choices are a specially curated scrap bag. I would never
try to emulate one period of time, but perhaps mix fabric styles in a
way that someone who had a lifetime of scraps might do, based on color,
scale and balance rather than a precise theme.

.

Why
do you write/create what you do?

I love to sew because I learned it at
my mother's elbow. I watched her for hours when she sewed potholder
blanks for our family business, and while she appliqued onto the
potholders, and then sewed names on free-hand. I love colors and form. I
started out painting and making collage, but there is something about
planning out a quilt and figuring out the materials that really does it
for me. And I love the online community for collaborating and
learning. That is why I do so many swaps and bees. As for what I get
out of it, it is both relaxing and challenging, and it makes the hours
fly the same way music does.

How does your creative process work?

I
often have several projects going at once, if not started at the same
time. I usually do a preliminary fabric pull, then let it percolate for
a few days. I get inspiration from looking at other blogs and Pinterest, and I am also in a Flickr group that takes pictures with
certain colors every day. (although I have lapsed while moving the last
week or so.) I find that taking photos gives me a new point of view,
and it affects the way I sew too. I guess photography is the spontaneous side of me and quilting calls for more planning. But I
need one for the other. Also, travel and walking really give me fresh
ideas when it comes to the use of color. I love to look at the forest,
with its moss and broken tree stumps and then draw a picture later of
all the spaces between as a quilt design.

If you'd like to hop along to some other blogs, why not check out Nina With Freckles, a very energetic gal who lives and quilts and crafts in Helsinki, Finland!

And how about Nina at BossyOz, A Swedish gal who quilts in England (she's the one who sent me those fabulous mini quilts I showed in the last post ;)

The two Ninas are in a new quilt bee with me called Scandibee, with quilters mostly located in or from Scandinavia. We are all really excited because it is the most local many of us have sewn together, and it's a chance to get to know people we've seen on Flickr and Instagram for a good while.

Lovely to read your post and look at all the photos! Hope the move goes well. As for your replies, I think I'll have to re-read at some point, because there was so much to take in; quality replies I mean. In other words, the questions are excellent.

Thanks to my new followers, will add you onto my bloglovin list of blogs to follow! I will post my contribution to this hop either later today or tomorrow, it'll be fun. I'm already IG following Lysa, but don't think the blog is on the list yet.

As for "energetic", it's the first time someone has called me that, but I suppose it's true after quite some time of melancholia or however I should put it, due to challenges in my personal life. It means a lot to hear that someone, who only recently got to know me a bit, views me in such a positive way.

And I'm very excited about Scandibee, it's not only my first local bee but first bee altogether!

Gosh I missed this post. I really enjoying reading your thoughts about sewing, and the wonderful group of photos you've used throughout the post. I like the ethereal quality you capture in your photos.

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About Me

I'm an American living in Sweden. I love sewing and quilting, and anything fabric-related, except for mending knees! I love to take pictures, especially of nature, barns, and quilts. Winters are dark here, so Swedish Scrapper is a blend of all I can scrape together to make the days pretty for my family and me. It's a humble contribution, but making things lovely is really what makes me tick!